Tried to book a hut, but they're already sold out this year. Going in a barracks instead.Anybody here want to comment on them? Is there a place to lock up your stuff? Are they single beds, or bunks?In general, how was your stay in the barracks?Thanks!John

I stayed in the first "new barracks" aka squad unit housing, in 2011. Each room has four single beds, each with an attached wardrobe locker (bring a padlock). There were drawers beneath each mattress platform (no box spring). There is one shared desk and chair in each room, and a small dorm fridge. This is basic functional furniture. Each room has a window. The whole building was air conditioned, and the common restrooms and showers were adequate. Each room has a lock on the door, and each resident is issued a key to their room and to the exterior doors of the building.

I found it a bargain, and had no complaints. My randomly selected roommate (only two of us in the room that time) was pleasant company.

When our teams were assigned to a barracks rather than huts I called the Housing Office to find out about the accommodations, and was told that the barracks has 2 floors with 100 beds in each. Each floor has 4 bays of 25 beds per bay, and a bathroom at each end of the floor. The unit is air conditioned. There was no mention of lockers, etc., but I assume they are there and to be used with your own lock.

The new barracks are normally filled by those higher on the list of priorities than the individual competitors, although they are comfortable, if you can get in and they are as described above.

As for the other barracks, which I have also stayed in, unless something has changed recently, there is no AC. There is a "jet engine" fan and some floor fans. I bring a box fan to point at my bunk, with some extension cables. There are normally enough outlets, but I like to have a cord I can use for all my stuff, that only uses one outlet. The bays have 12 beds on one side and 13 beds on the other. Each bed has an assigned wall locker with a top shelf, a couple hooks and a clothes rod inside. They are lockable with a padlock. I like to use a padlock that I can open by feel, in case I arrive after lights are out. The latrines are at the ends of the bays (as mentioned above) and have a few sinks, similar to the community restrooms for the huts. There are commode stalls, again, similar to the other facilities and a shower room with several stalls that each have a round-a-bout curtain. The nice thing about the restrooms in the barracks, is not having to go outside to get there.

25 guys don't sleep quietly, so you may want to find a way to deaden your hearing, if night sounds disturb you. A couple years ago, one of my bay-mates seemed to be having it pretty rough and cried out several times during the night. I found it somewhat humorous, but others may not have. Actually, most of the time, the fan sounds drown out everything pretty well. Remember that those in the barracks will all have different schedules, so be prepared for activities throughout the day/night and the lights being turned out early. Maybe be sure to have a small LED light in your pocket, just in case.

Thank you Ed! I'll have to call tomorrow and find out which I'm booked in. Building 2146 if that means anything.Hmm... hearing protection day and night, eh? Will bring back memories of my barracks days in the USAF!

Finally got a hut a few days before arriving at Perry! Great!What is unknown is why several dozen huts, with their empty beds and mattresses, were vacant for the whole week! Hut shortage? Why were so many huts left empty?

If the base maint people would uncover the top vents after the competitors left for the year, then they would have enough air flow to keep from getting moldy.....really if they did just the most basic maintenance and repairs they could keep so many more of those huts habitable. It's a shame really.